


a face to say hello to

by theformerone



Series: naruto femslash week 2018 [4]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, Naruto Femslash Week 2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-29
Updated: 2018-08-29
Packaged: 2019-07-04 05:42:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,281
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15834906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theformerone/pseuds/theformerone
Summary: "You've gone soft," he says. But it doesn't sound like an insult.Day 3: Hokage





	a face to say hello to

"Sensei," she says, inclining her head to him. 

It's strange to see Jiraiya after all these years. Peacetime sits hesitantly on his shoulders. He's lived through wars, fought through them. He almost seems out of place. Almost. 

"Konan," he says, his eyes crinkling, "you look well."

She nods. She can't tell if she does look well or not. Running a village is difficult business. Hard work. She wonders if Yahiko would have done a better job, were he still living. She finds she can't answer the question honestly. He had a head for change, for radicalism. Not for the politics that would have to come after. 

It would have fallen to Konan anyway, in his new world order. It falls to her now. 

"Shodaime Kōukage," Jiraiya says, testing the words out on his tongue. His eyes glance at the hat on her desk. The kanji for 'rainfall', the pale blue coloring that distinguishes it from the Mizukage's hat. "You wear that well, too."

Konan lifts an eyebrow. 

"Flattery will get you in many rooms, sensei," she says. "But you're already in this one. Don't stand on ceremony."

That makes him laugh, and Konan chances a smile. The last time she saw him was when she was a girl. Born and bred in a warzone but not completely ready for the personal cost. She had lost her parents, lost her sisters. But she had been a noncombatant. After Jiraiya’s training, Konan had seen a different side to the violence. All three of them had. 

"I trust the Hokage is well, and happy with her accommodations."

Jiraiya snorts. 

"You could say that," he replies. "Those boys you sent her off with, they students of yours?"

Konan nods; Oboro, Kagari, and Mubi were young, but they were clever. They were Nagato's team, though she had a hand in training them. There were a great number of genin in Ame, and Konan had made a point to spend time working with every team. A village that was held together with tenuous bonds was no village at all. 

Besides, Oboro was too cocky about his drinking skills. It would do him good to get thrown under (or through) a table by Tsunade. Mubi and Kagari would make sure nothing worthy of an international incident would happen. Konan was sure. 

"They seem like good kids," Jiraiya continues. "Tsuna's gonna chew em' up and spit em' right back out."

"I told them to view it as a training exercise," Konan replies, a light quirk to her lips. 

It gets another laugh out of him, and that one chases away the grief Konan knows is hiding in him.

Yahiko's death had been a wake up call for the two of them, she and Nagato. Then had come the slaughter of Hanzō's soldiers, the strange man they had driven away, convinced he was Uchiha Madara and the question of leaving Amegakure or changing it from within. 

They had decided this was for the best. A dōjutsu like the Rinnegan had to be kept hidden. Its power would bring poachers of al kinds, thieves that would bring down armies until they stole Nagato's eyes. Konan wouldn't let someone else be stolen from her. 

It was part of the reason why they had agreed to open up trade and peace talks with Konoha. Their connection with Jiraiya was still strong and with Ame at peace for the first time in generations, there was at least a chance of economic propserity. Nagato had barely survived his use of the Gedō statue; Konoha's Godaime was the best medic in the world. 

If anyone could find a way to get Nagato walking again, it was Senju Tsunade. 

But until then, until they could be trusted enough, Nagato stayed hidden. A powerful secret, a great and terrible war deterrent. Konan was powerful enough on her own to keep Ame under control. Just as Orochimaru was the Godaime's shadow-kage, Nagato was Konan's. 

Besides. There were other reasons to open up their borders to Konoha. 

"Please pardon the intrusion," comes her voice from the other side of the door. And when she opens it, Shizune's eyes find Konan with zero difficulty. 

It's almost hard not to soften. As it is, Konan waves her in. 

"Excuse me, Jiraiya-sama, I just have some paperwork for the Kōukage about the medic transfer program, and the hospital renovations," she says, tucking a few pieces of black hair behind her ear. "Tsunade-sama forgot to leave them with her after their meeting."

"Of course she did," Jiraiya chortles. But his eyes are wise, and he watches as Shizune crosses the room to set the papers down on Konan's desk. "I know exactly how forgetful our princess can be."

"She doesn't like it when you call her that." Shizune says it like it's an argument she's had a thousand times before, and Jiraiya ignores it like he's done that just as many times. 

"Thank you, Shizune-san," Konan says, carefully pulling the reams of paper towards her.

Sending the genin with the best chakra control to study in Konoha was for the greater good, especially considering the fact that Tsunade was well willing to revamp their hospital during her brief stay in the village. She was even leaving her own apprentice to see that the renovations stuck for several months after they were made. Sending a dozen genin back to Fire Country was the least Konan could do to ensure their village's future. 

If there had been even one medic on the field the day Yahiko died, Konan's world might have looked a whole lot different. 

"Of course, Kōukage-sama," Shizune replies, a little quirk to her lips. Then, in a slightly more professional tone of voice, she says, "Will I see you at the welcome reception this evening?"

Konan smiles, slow and easy, just to see Shizune duck her head shyly. 

"You will." 

"Good," Shizune says. "We can, ah - We can discuss the transfer program more, then."

"Of course."

Shizune bows and makes her exit, but Konan can see the light flush of pink on the back of her neck as she escapes. 

When the door clicks shut behind her, Konan brushes her fingers across the paper, still warm from Shizune holding them close to her breast up the stairs on her way to Konan's office. Her eyes cant back to Jiraiya, whose gaze has gone assessing and kind. 

 "You've gone soft," he says. But it doesn't sound like an insult. 

Konan shrugs a shoulder. 

"I've always been soft," she replies. It's an easy admission. Yahiko was the hardest, of the three of them. Konan and Nagato had always been sensitive, albeit in different ways. "Soft as paper."

Jiraiya snorts and Konan rises to her feet. 

"Come, sensei," she says, waving him to stand. She picks up the pale blue hat and settles it on her head. "I want to show you something. Something I think you'd very much like to see."

Jiraiya rises to his feet and follows Konan to the door.

"What is it?" he asks.

Konan turns over her shoulder and says, "The academy."

Jiraiya's eyes go a little wide, and he picks up his pace a bit. They travel down the hall, down the stairs and leave the renovated tower. The rain outside is light, much lighter than it usually is. Only a fine mising rather than a downpour. It's rather optimistic weather. And as they pass through the door into the streets outside, she can catch the barely there smell of Shizune; honing oil and strychnine.

Konan takes in a deep breath, wonders about the Godaime's pretty apprentice, and wonders about the future they are going to build together for Amegakure. 


End file.
